Look After You- Niam Horayne

Belonging- Chapter 21

Liam's POV

I fluttered my eyelids open, wincing as the brightness cut through my sight. I felt a stabbing, cutting pain across my chest and stomach, which I guessed was where Will sliced me. I wasn't stupid; I knew I wasn't going to die. It just hurt so much that I collapsed, and also the fright that Niall could've died was just the cherry on top of the melodramatic event. It was all very... Eastenders.

I was in hospital, dressed in a long blue robe like all the other patients surrounding me. My hair wasn't in its usual quiff which kind of irritated me in a rational way. It all flopped down into my forehead and felt annoyingly ticklish. I tried to raise my arm to knock it back, but weirdly it ached. Everything ached. I assumed it was when I fell onto the hard floor, but I blacked out so I wasn't entirely sure.

I had a lot of unanswered questions fleeing around in my head, such as who rang the police, and what happened to Will. I felt sorry for Jack, who obviously was in the middle of all of this. He could get in some serious trouble for keeping Will in his house when he was supposed to be in care. Jack hadn't done anything wrong, but I knew that that was the sacrifice. Niall's life mattered more to me than that.

"Mr Payne?" I looked up and saw a doctor, I assumed- he was wearing a long robe like me but it was white, and his name tag read Jeremy. He wore round glasses and had a mahogany quiff. He spoke rather feminine, and he stood strangely. "Do you know why you're here?"

I nodded, squeezing my eyes shut. They still hadn't properly adjusted to the light which was too bright. Jeremy waited for a while until I finally opened my eyes again, trying to block out the irritating sight killer.

He smiled friendly. "Well, I could explain what happened after you blacked out or one of your friends could. Five of them- and your mother- are in the waiting room. I have to say, they're very worried. Especially the young blonde boy."

I beamed. Niall was here, along with Harry, Louis, Zayn, Demi and my mum. I knew that my friends and Niall already knew what happened, but it was going to be a real pain explaining to my mum what's been happening. For all she knew, I just worked in a care home and came to visit a couple times a month. Since she lived a good forty five minutes away, it was difficult visiting her. Especially with extra work, and all the drama occurring.

"Can you bring in my mum first, and then my friends?" I asked. I figured I needed to talk to her before, just to give her a clear view on what was happening. I didn't think that anyone had told her what'd happened, because she didn't really know them apart from Louis who had been my friend since I was four.

Jeremy nodded. "You just have to stay here for one more night for a check, but then you're free to go home. Your wound isn't large, which is lucky. If it was deep, or he would've stabbed instead of sliced, that would've been awful."

I nodded in spite of myself, and watched as he hurried down the hall. I guess Jeremy was right- I was pretty lucky that Will didn't stab me. I would probably be dead now, since it was in my chest. Although I'd asked the doctor to send in my mum first, I was bursting with curiosity of what happened with Will, how the police came, basically everything that happened after I fell unconscious.

My mum quickly hurried in, her light eyes sparkling with worry but relief, too. Without even saying anything, she leant over and grasped me into a tight, mum-hug. I smiled and hugged her back despite the brief period of pain. She pulled back and I saw that her eyes were red and sore from crying. Jeez, it wasn't like I was going to die. It was just a little scratch...

"You could've died!" She yelled, pushing her dark blonde hair back. "Your friends have told me most of the story, but I can't believe it. No offence, but that Niall boy wasn't worth your life, Liam! You're so successful, polite and handsome. Why would you put your life in danger for a child who- again, no offence- is a little... messed up? I just can't believe you'd hurt yourself for someone who isn't even yours."